(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel. More particularly, the present invention relates to an opposing discharge type of plasma display panel having high luminescence efficiency and easier fabrication.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A plasma display panel (hereinafter referred to as a “PDP”) is a display device for displaying an image with visible light generated by exciting phosphors with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) rays radiated by plasma during gas discharge. A PDP provides a very wide screen of greater than 60 inches with a thickness of less than 10 cm. Additionally, a PDP has excellent color representation and exhibits no distortion based on viewing angle because a PDP is a self-emissive display device like a cathode ray tube (CRT). Additionally, a PDP has advantages over other display panels in productivity and production cost, since its fabrication method is simple compared to that of a liquid crystal display (LCD). Because of these advantages, a PDP may be more suitable than other displays as a flat panel display for industrial use and a television display for home use in the next generation.
One type of PDP is a three-electrode surface-discharge type PDP. The three-electrode surface-discharge type PDP includes a front substrate and a rear substrate separated by a space, display electrodes on the front substrate, and address electrodes on the rear substrate crossing the display electrodes. Additionally, the front and rear substrates are placed together and a discharge gas is filled in the space between them. An address discharge is generated by individually controlled scan electrodes connected to each line and address electrodes crossing the scan electrodes. A sustain discharge is generated by the scan electrodes and the sustain electrodes facing each other and located on the same surface. Occurrence of a discharge is determined by the address discharge, and brightness is determined by the sustain discharge.
Another type of PDP is a three-electrode opposing discharge type of PDP. A driving method of the opposing discharge type of PDP is similar to that of the surface-discharge type of PDP. In the opposing discharge type of PDP, scan electrodes and sustain electrodes for sustain discharge are disposed facing each other, at opposing sides of discharge cells. Accordingly, a discharge length in the opposing discharge type PDP may be greater than that of the surface-discharge type PDP, and thereby luminescence efficiency may be improved. However, the opposing discharge type of PDP has disadvantages in that the discharge firing voltage is high and the fabrication of the PDP is difficult. In other words, it is difficult to form sustain electrodes and scan electrodes so that they face each other within barrier ribs in a fabrication process of the opposing discharge type of PDP. Additionally, in the case of a high definition PDP, it is more difficult to install sustain electrodes and scan electrodes within fine barrier ribs. Additionally, if the sustain electrodes and the scan electrodes are installed on the barrier ribs, a maximum discharge length is formed in the discharge cells. Accordingly, a high discharge firing voltage is required for sustain discharge in the absence of additional elements.
The above information disclosed in this background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore it may contain information that does not constitute prior art that is already known to an ordinary person skilled in the art.